Sound box



May 6, 1924. 1,492,983 G. F, c. HOUGHTON v v SOUND BOX Fi'led Feb. 24. 1922 ,g I 1 --3 :K L i IN VEN TOR ATTORNEY Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,492,983 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I. C. HOUGHTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SYDNEY B.- EOPKINS, 01' I SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY.

, SOUND BOX.- 1

Applicationfiled February 24, 1922. Serial No. 538,901.

To all whom) it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. C. HOUGHTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Sound Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to novel and useful improvements in sound boxes of sound reproducing machines, and more particularly to' the stylus bar mechanism.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out" in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts,

constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part thereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the lnvention.

Of the drawings Fi 1 is an elevation of a sound box embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly insection and partly in elevation, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, on anenlarged scale, looking at the lower part of Fig. 1 from the right; and

Fi 4'is a simllar view to Fig. 3, but showing a partially difierent bearing for the stylus bar.

In the reproduction of soundfrom records, the movement of the stylus bar is both very delicate, rapid and complex, owin to the minute, delicate, rapidly-succee ing and various changes in the sound groove of the record, due to corresponding changes in the pitch, duration and tlmbre of the recorded sounds (the last being due to the number and nature of the overtones in the source of the sound). In order to communicate the minute, delicate, complex and rapidly changing sound formations of the record accurately and ade uately as vibrations to the sound box diap ragm an exceedingly fine, rigid, stable and yet free pivotal or axial mounting for'the stylus bar is requlred.

That is, the stylus bar must have freedom,

accuracy and quickness of movement in order to receive from the record and to impart to the diaphragm the correct sound producing vibrations. The object'of the invention is to produce such a sty us bar mounting. i

resent Referring now in detail to the accompaiiying drawings, illustrating by we of example the present preferred embo' iment of the invention, the sound box 1 may be of any standardor suitable form, so far as concerns the principal features of the present invention, and will not be described in de-' tail.

The sound box reproducing diaphragm 2 is mounted in the sound box in the usual or any suitable manner, and the stylus bar 4 is attached thereto at 3, likewise in any suitable and adequate manner.

The stylus bar 4, as embodied, has as integral or constituent parts thereof, the arm 5, which at'its upper end is affixed to the diaphragm 2 and at its lowerend is fixed to the outer, end of an inwardly-extending bracket or arm 6. At its inner end the arm 6 joins the center of a horizontallydisposed pivot bar 10, which will be later'described.

From beneath or outside the center of pivot bar 10' the needle holding bar 7 extends and is provided 'at its outer end with a suitable clamping screw or other holding means 9' for a record needle 8.

The present invention is directed to the mounting of the stylus bar to effect or reduce the results or ob'ects already descri ed.

As preferably embo ied, in the eripheral part of the sound box 1 are fixed two outwardly-projecting, pointed pins 12 and 13, the points thereof earin indentations in the face 0 the pivot bar 10, approximately near the respective ends thereof.

The points of these pins constitute or determine the pivotal points, or axial line, about which the stylus bar rocks. This constitutes a minimum of bearing surface, with the greatest fineness and accuracy of edge or oint, but with great freedom of motion an consequent quickness of action, while the spaced apart position and the seating of in very shallow the points preserves the necessary accuracy J Means are provided for firmly and ac.- curately holding the pivot bar to its bearings'or axial line while permitting the desired free, quick and accurate movement of the bar on the bearings. As embodied, two

, balis 14 and 15 are seated in the other face of the pivot bar; and preferably directly opposite, respectively, the points 512 and 13,

: blasting and other-detrimental eflects on I pins 12 and 13 The balls are thus free to l W. Accordingly, the balls h V shaped seats (Fig. 2) in the face of the pivot bar 10, and thesupports for the balls, respectively, are flat strips 18 and 19, curved the tone. production."

ve spherically in a radius about the bearing points of the roll on their sup orts 18 and 19, while the I supports acting t rough the balls press the bar firmiy to its axial line, giving the desired live, free but always stable and accurate bearing.

' The supports 18 and 19 are preferably flat springs, bent to 'iit into, and to be seated in, slots or kerfs formed in projecting flanges 20' and 21 formed .on or fixed to the periphery of the sound box. These s rings hold the balls 14 firmly against the i at '10, yet with a resilient action that keeps the pres sure about constant and that automatically takes u any looseness that may occur. The ends 0 the strips are shown upset at 22 and 23 on the opposite sides of the respective flanges 20 and 21. The flange 21 is shown recessed at 27 to give clearance for the stylus bar.

" aseaosa As a convenience in assemblin longitudinally disposed ooves 24 an 25 are formed from the ba 'seats to the ends of the pivot bar 10, whereby the balls may be sprung into their seats,

In Fig; 4, knife edge pins 26 and 26 are shown in place of the pointed pins 12 and 13, but usually the pointed pins will be found referable. 1

It wi be understood that chan es the exact form of the mechanism as s own and described may be made,"without departing from the principles of the invention an without sacrificing its chief advantage.

What I claim 1s:- 5 W If A sound box comprising a diaphragm supporting frame, a pivot bar for carxgmg a stylus, a flat U-shaped spring the en so which pass through part of the diaphragm supporting frame-and aresecured thereto, and bearing elements on oppositezsides of the pivot bar, the pivot bar and bearing elements being resiliently cradled in operative relation by means of the U-shaped spring;

2. A sound box comprising a diaphragm supporting frame, a laterally extending flange at one side of the frame, a ivot bar for carrying a stylus and provi ed with iongitudlnal grooves near each end thereof,

bearing elements seated in the grooves, bearmg elements on the other side of the pivot bar, and; flat U-shaped springs for :resili-' elements entlyhclding the several bearin and the pivot bar in operative re ationship, the ends of the U-shaped spring passing through the flan e of the diaphragm frame and being secure thereto by being bent over into contact therewith.

In testimony whereof, I have signed'my name to this specification.

GEORGE E. o. HOUGHTON. 

